Toronto, November 1, 2024
The following message was issued by the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA) on Friday, November 1, 2024:
Canadian Port Update
Responding to ILWU 514 Second Strike Notice, BCMEA Issues Notice of Defensive Lockout Coastwide
The BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) announced November 1 that in response to the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship & Dock Foremen Local 514 (ILWU Local 514) second strike notice set to commence on Monday, November 4 at or about 08:00 am PT, and in anticipation of escalating and unpredictable strike action, the BCMEA has made a decision to take defensive action in the form of a coastwide lockout.
The statement reads as follows:
“ILWU Local 514’s strike action will have repercussions across B.C.’s waterfront operations, and strike activity can easily escalate, including a complete withdrawal of labour without notice. Accordingly, to facilitate a safe and orderly wind-down of operations, the BCMEA has issued formal notice of its intention to defensively lock out all ILWU Local 514 members on Monday, November 4 at or around 08:00 am PT. Should it be required, this coastwide lockout will shut down all cargo operations of BCMEA Member companies across the province. It will not affect longshoring operations on grain vessels or cruise operations.
We did not arrive to this decision lightly. This regretful action follows thorough consideration of ILWU Local 514’s continued intransigence and their provocative decision to proceed with another strike notice, despite being found to have been bargaining in bad faith on three occasions. The BCMEA appreciates that Canada’s West Coast ports and global trade require certainty and predictability to operate. ILWU Local 514 continues to put Canada’s supply chain and all those that depend on it at risk with its repeated inflammatory and disruptive behaviour.
The Parties met this week with the assistance of FMCS. The BCMEA was deeply disappointed that ILWU Local 514 came to mediation at this late stage of bargaining, with proposals and positions that took bargaining backwards, and thus further from achieving a collective agreement.
On Wednesday the BCMEA provided a balanced and competitive final offer to ILWU Local 514. If accepted, it will provide all forepersons with significant gains in wages and benefits without concession requests from employers. The final offer includes a 19.2% wage increase, which would enhance the median foreperson compensation from $246,323 to $293,617 annually, not including benefits and pension. On average, eligible workers would receive a cumulative lump sum payment of approximately $21,000, inclusive of signing bonus and retroactive pay increases back to April 2023. Subject to the date of acceptance, the BCMEA will agree to accelerate and pay retroactivity and the signing bonus in full to each member by mid-December.
Despite ILWU Local 514’s regrettable decision to repeatedly destabilize Canada’s supply chain, the BCMEA’s comprehensive offer remains open until withdrawn.
In the interest of all Canadians, the industry is prepared to rescind lockout notice if ILWU Local 514 chooses to withdraw its strike notice.
We will continue to provide updates as appropriate.”- end of BCMEA statement.
ILWU Local 514 Serves Industry-Wide 72-Hour Strike Notice to All BCMEA Member Companies, Effective 08:00 AM PT, Monday, November 4
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship & Dock Foremen Local 514 (ILWU Local 514) has provided formal, written 72-hour notice of intended industry-wide strike action against all BC Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) member companies, commencing on Monday, November 4 at or about 8:00 am PT.
On Wednesday, the BCMEA provided a final offer to ILWU Local 514 in what it called “a sincere commitment to conclude negotiations in a manner that serves the best interests of both Parties and Canadians alike.”
It said: “The final offer provides a fair agreement without requiring concessions from ILWU Local 514 and covers all matters remaining in dispute. If accepted, this competitive deal will provide all ILWU Local 514 members with significant gains in wages, benefits and a signing bonus paid out by mid-December. The BCMEA and ILWU Local 514 have been engaged in bargaining for nearly two years to renew their collective agreement that expired in March 2023.”
Read more in negotiation updates from the BCMEA.
MEA Port of Montreal Negotiations Update
The Maritime Employers Association (MEA) said in its October 31 update that it “deplores the new unlimited strike called by the Port of Montréal Longshoremen’s Union that specifically paralyzes the two terminals operated by Termont as of 11:00 a.m. today.”
“The MEA cannot grant the Union’s demand to change work hours without formal negotiations. The schedules used on the different docks – shift and relay – called into question by the Union in recent days, are enshrined in the collective agreement in force and cannot be used as a bargaining chip for a strike targeting a single operator, as is the case today.”
Read more in an update from the MEA.
For more information, please call David Lychek, Director – Ocean & Air Services at (905) 882-4880, ext. 1207.
